


Getting The Job

by ItspronouncedJulia



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Abuse, Bigotry & Prejudice, Child Abuse, Coming Out, Divorce, Eventual Relationships, F/F, First Meetings, Hitting Maryse over the head so she realized she's hella gay, Internalized Homophobia, Lesbian Relationship, Love/Hate, Maryse Lightwood is kind of problematic, Maryse is very tol a gay, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Parent-Child Relationship, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Relationship Advice, Starting a new job, Working out relationship kinks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-08-30 08:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8525860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItspronouncedJulia/pseuds/ItspronouncedJulia
Summary: How exactly did Catarina Loss come to be the healer of the New York City Institute?





	1. Chapter 1

“I’m sorry Ms. Lightwood but I won’t be extending my services to you or this institute.” So this was Catarina Loss? Maryse was not impressed. Though to be fair Maryse had never met a downworlder that impressed her at first sight. Normally they just annoyed her, disgusted her and made her short tempered.

Catarina Loss was no exception. She was sitting across from Maryse dressed in all black. From her pea coat, to her slacks, to her heels and head scarf. She dressed like she was heading towards a mundane funeral with large sunglasses that took up half her face.

“Really?” Maryse asked trying to hide her surprise and relief.  Magnus had come up to her a few days ago and practically begged her to give Catarina a job in the institute. Though at first Maryse was reluctant to give a non nephilim a job she couldn’t argue that Ms. Loss had experience far greater than any nephilim Maryse could hire. And with Jace, Isabelle and Clary running around this city with no regard for safety this institute would not suffer from having a healer.

Still even with most of her face hidden by those large sunglasses Ms. Loss’s disdain could not be masked. Not that Maryse could even begin to blame Catarina for not liking her before meeting her. With Maryse’s history she wouldn’t have been surprised if Catarina had walked through that door and struck her with a lightning bolt at first sight.

Luckily for Maryse Catarina was just here to reject the job. Maryse didn’t know much about the warlock just that she was an excellent healer who worked as a nurse to help heal mundanes. Magnus had stressed she worked tirelessly and there was no better person for the job. Maryse hadn’t asked what had happened to Catarina’s other job at whatever hospital she had worked at. Though she had questioned why Catarina wanted to work with nephilim instead of just going to another mundane hospital.

When Maryse had asked Magnus had just danced around the subject. She hadn’t thought to press but now Maryse saw why Magnus had avoided answering her. Catarina didn’t want this job anymore than Maryse wanted to give it to her. This was all a scheme concocted by Magnus Bane but to what end? What purpose did this serve him to have Catarina working here?

“Honestly.” Maryse nodded and for a moment considered thanking Ms. Loss for her time and walking her to the door. What was the point of fighting when Catarina and her seemed to be seeing eye to eye?

But something in her gut stopped Maryse. Perhaps it was the look Magnus had in his eye when he asked for Maryse’s help. She had never seen him look so vulnerable and never thought he would come to her for anything other than babysitting. Catarina was a dear friend to Magnus and he wouldn’t come to Maryse in less it was important. Whatever his reasoning was it had to have been good.

“I don’t do much field work anymore.” Maryse began. “When you run an institute normally you’re confined to the walls of your office penning away at paperwork so I don’t get hurt all that often.”

“However my children are a whole different story as I’m sure you may or may not know they have a history of...well being stupid. We could use a healer of your experience in this institute.” And none of that was truly a lie. Still if they were going to have a healer it probably should be a nephilim. Someone they could trust off the bat. Though thinking of Hodge sometimes you couldn’t always trust those who were suppose to be your people.

“Well if you're done with your speech I haven’t changed my mind. I don’t want to work here and more importantly I don’t _need_ to work here.” Catarina said anger slowly building in her voice. “I only gave you the time of day because Magnus had asked me to. That’s it. Now if you’ll excuse me I have more important things to do.” Maryse watched with mild ease as Catarina pushed herself out of her chair and gathered her things.

She considered walking Catarina out but figured the woman wanted to be as far away from Maryse and this fortress as she possibly could. Maryse couldn’t blame her. She watched with more curiosity than she expected as the blue woman stormed out of her office and out of her home.

Apart of her felt like she could have done more and that she was far too complacent in letting Magnus’s friend go. A larger part of her realized that there was only so much you can do and you can’t force someone to take a job.

Shaking her head she turned back to the paperwork that still needed to be penned and wondered why Magnus wanted Catarina to have this job so bad. She would bring it up later when he came by with the boys this afternoon.

Though one thing was almost certain she was sure she would never see Ms. Loss again.


	2. Chapter 2

“What exactly would you like me to do Magnus?” Maryse demanded leaning back in her chair and counting very slowly to ten. Not for the first time this week did she find herself across from a very annoyed warlock at a bit of a lost for what to do.

“Just tell me...how hard did you try? Did you really talk to her or did you just wave her away?” He demanded lacing his fingers together and leaning forward. Never before had the warlock seem so condescending. If he wasn’t dating her son Maryse would have considered sending a seraph blade through his throat.

“Yes. I tried. Harder than I really wanted to and do you know what she said?” Maryse asked feeling a nasty headache coming on. The mark of a very long unfortunate day ahead.

“I already know she said no...but she didn’t say anything else on the subject. Were you cold and off putting?” He asked.

“Darling, I’m always cold and off putting but regardless I can’t force your little friend to take a job she doesn’t want. She hates shadowhunters with good reason and if she was going to work for any of us I’m sure the New York City institute would be the last place she would want to be.” Maryse explained.

Magnus casted her a skeptical look before pushing himself out of his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He said nothing as he tapped his foot against the floor and looked at her as if he had a whole speech prepared. A part of her dreaded the idea of him having more to say.

At this point her head was throbbing and she still had a long day of paperwork and nonsense ahead of her. This meeting with Mr. Bane had been unexpected and overall unwanted. If she could she would toss him out on his spiky head and lock the door to her study. Not letting another warlock into this office again.

If only life could truly be that simple. Tossing out Magnus now meant a good chance of greatly pissing off Alec. An idea she wasn’t very fond of. Not to mention she was sure she would get annoyed looks from Jace and angry rants from Isabelle. It would better to suffer a little now than a lot later.

“Well I guess I’ll just have to go and speak to Catarina and see what she says.” He snipped before spinning around and storming out of her office. She waited ten or so minutes just to be sure he wouldn’t come storming back in before sinking further into her chair and considered giving herself the day off.

“That woman had better be able to raise the dead.” She growled understanding that this wasn't the last she would hear about this Catarina Loss and her position in the institute.


	3. Chapter 3

“So shall we recap the situation?” Catarina rolled her eyes tired of having this conversation. “You were threatened by your ex boyfriend and his current pack of rogue werewolves, You refuse to go to the clave which I understand and you refuse to go to Maia’s pack which I don’t understand and you refuse to go and work at the institute where you could live and have guaranteed safety.”

“We’ve already been through this Magnus I don’t feel like talking about it anymore.” Catarina said stubbornly keeping her eyes peeled on the scrubs she was currently folding. She hadn’t invited Magnus over to her tiny apartment so much as he stormed in after finding out she had declined Maryse Lightwood’s oh so generous offer.

“Catarina he threatened you after a fifteen hour shift you barely had the strength to stand let alone defend yourself. you're just lucky that...that nothing happened.” Magnus said.

“I can take care of myself I’ve been doing it for centuries, I don’t need to rely on some bigoted, air headed, former circle member, head of the New York City institute, thinks she’s god's gift to the rest us, frog of a woman to protect me from my demons. I can do that myself.” Magnus frowned at Catarina’s description of Maryse Lightwood. He couldn’t say they were best friends but she wasn’t terrible either. Certainly not a frog woman, at least not anymore. But Magnus had met Maryse at a time where she was stupid and ready to burn down his world so he couldn’t say that he blamed Catarina for feeling the way she did. But he would rather her be upset and safe then feeling like she was on moral high ground and be killed at any moment.

“Listen Catarina, I’ve already lost Ragnor I can not lose you to.” He said softly reaching forward to take her hand.

“No, no, no, no Magnus don’t do this to me please,” Catarina said snatching away her hands. “Don’t guilt me into living with those people! This is my life and I...I can’t be under the same roof as a woman who willingly and gleefully followed Valentine.”

“I’m trying to save your life!”

“I’m not asking you to!” She shouted back. “I would say you of all people should understand but when it comes to shadowhunters your vision has always been skewed.” She snapped before pushing herself off the couch and towards the small bathroom.

“Fine be that way but I won’t drop this!” Magnus shouted storming to the front door. “You can scream and shout at me all you want to but I’m not going to be pushed away so easily!” And with that Magnus left.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Maryse Lightwood had never thought of herself as a yoga person. Normally when she needed to blow off steam she would either hack up a training dummy or internalize it. It was Isabelle who suggested that she might be able to relax with a little bit of yoga. Well actually she had suggested hot yoga but Maryse didn’t find anything relaxing about twisting her body in odd positions in a hot room full of mundanes.

“Alright ladies let’s try and transition into the crow.” The yoga instruction said almost dreamily as she walked them into the position. Isabelle scoffed as she went into downward dog and easily picked up her feet resting her knees back on her arms. It took Maryse a second to follow. She wasn’t as young as she use to be but she still did it faster than any of the other ladies in the class.

“Child’s play,” Isabelle whispered keeping herself up with ease. Maryse hummed in agreement and took in a deep calming breath. Her worries about Magnus and Catarina quickly melted away as she focused on her body and keeping herself up in the crow. Maryse would have to get Isabelle a new pair of red bottoms for such a brilliant idea.

“So I heard from Clary you went on a little date with Jocelyn Fray.” Izzy said as she moved herself forward so that she was balancing herself on top of her head moving ahead of the teacher and the class. Maryse couldn’t help but smile, that was her baby always moving ahead and never waiting for anyone. It was a good thing and a bad thing but right now Maryse liked the way she showed off.

“It wasn’t a date we just went out for coffee.” Maryse said slowly moving to the same position as Isabelle. No balancing runes required.

“Didn’t she bring you some art?” Isabelle laughed causing Maryse to roll her eyes.

“She’s an artist. We’re friends.”

“You can’t date a married woman,” Izzy said though there was a gleam in those beautiful eyes of hers that suggested she might not be against it at all.

“Good thing I’m not dating a married woman, I don’t think I would date any woman to be honest.” Maryse said calmly. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being gay or dating women but it’s just not my cup of tea.”

“I’ve been having this feeling lately, and you can tell me if I’m wrong, but it just seems to me that you're very gay.” Maryse frowned and glanced over at her daughter.

“Oh, well I’m not really gay though.”

“How do you know if you don’t try?”

“I don’t really want to try.” Maryse snapped pushing herself back so she landed on her feet. Isabelle frowned and did the same ignoring the odd glances that everyone was giving them.

“Mom don’t freak out.” Izzy said softly.

“I’m not freaking out Isabelle I just...why are you insisting that I’m a lesbian?” Maryse whispered blood rushing up to her cheeks and neck. “I’m not gay stop saying that I am.” She was okay with Alec being gay she understood that he didn’t have a choice and he was born that way. It was an idea she hadn’t been raised with but when Alec had explained this to her she had no choice but to agree.

She didn’t really know anything about being gay or genetics and well Alec _was_ gay and Maryse had to believe he knew what was right. And then there was Isabelle who had confessed to her she was bi curious which was again odd to Maryse but she didn’t mind. If Isabelle wanted to date men or women well then Maryse didn’t really have much say in the matter anyway so why not just accept it? Besides it was easier this time around after Alec.

“Mom I’m just joking around don’t worry,” Isabelle said reaching forward to give her a gentle squeeze but Maryse shrunk away from her daughter's touch. “Mom-” Izzy was cut off when Maryse's cellphone began to ring. The nephilim couldn’t get out of the little studio fast enough.

‘Hello who is this?’ Maryse asked slipping around the corner and finding an empty hallway.

‘Am I not even a contact in your phone?’ Magnus asked on the other end pretending to be hurt.

‘Sorry- yes of course you are Magnus, I just didn’t look at the phone before I picked up.’ Maryse said as Isabelle came around the corner. Iz couldn’t help but feel afraid as she watched her mother. She was pacing around shaking viciously. She hadn’t realized joking around with her mother like that would cause just an adverse reaction.

‘Anyway I need to talk to you and I was wondering if I could come over this afternoon.’ Maryse nodded but then remembered that she was on the phone and had to speak.

‘Yeah, yeah of course you can come by in about an hour or so.’ Maryse said before hanging up the phone.

“Everything okay?” Iz asked not sure if she should go in for a hug or give her mother some space, she opted for the latter.  

“Fine that was just Magnus he wants to meet later.”

“Oh um about what I said-”

“Don’t worry about it honey let’s just head home I’m not feeling well.” Maryse said softly.


End file.
